Story perspectives

Wounded Khamenei’s Role Diminished as IRGC Leads War Diplomacy

4/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Mojtaba Khamenei is called a “chairman of the board,” with senior IRGC generals directing war and diplomacy.
He issues statements via a sealed-envelope courier chain.
Senior IRGC commanders and officials avoid his location to evade Israeli tracking.
He suffered severe leg, hand and facial injuries in the Feb. 28 airstrike and awaits a prosthetic leg.
IRGC generals Ahmad Vahidi and Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr control war and diplomacy, sidelining Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in U.S. talks.

History

Historical Context

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, establishing an Islamic Republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini. This shift followed decades of discontent fueled by the Shah's Westernization efforts and the 1953 CIA-backed coup. By 2010, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had grown to over 125,000 members, reflecting its significant influence in Iran's military and politics, impacting regional stability.

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Story summary

Mojtaba Khamenei is called a “chairman of the board,” with senior IRGC generals directing war and diplomacy.
He issues statements via a sealed-envelope courier chain.
Senior IRGC commanders and officials avoid his location to evade Israeli tracking.
He suffered severe leg, hand and facial injuries in the Feb. 28 airstrike and awaits a prosthetic leg.
IRGC generals Ahmad Vahidi and Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr control war and diplomacy, sidelining Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in U.S. talks.

1 / 2